Colorado teens’ travel renews concerns about terror appeal

The Associated Press

Published
7:36 pm EDT, Wednesday, October 22, 2014

This Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014, photo shows the apartment complex in Aurora, Colo., which police say is the home of one of the three teenage girls who, according to U.S. authorities, were en route to join the Islamic State group in Syria when they were stopped at an airport in Germany. The two sisters, ages 17 and 15, and their 16-year-old friend have been reunited with their families in Colorado, according to an FBI spokeswoman. less

This Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014, photo shows the apartment complex in Aurora, Colo., which police say is the home of one of the three teenage girls who, according to U.S. authorities, were en route to join the ... more

Photo: (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

Photo: (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

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This Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014, photo shows the apartment complex in Aurora, Colo., which police say is the home of one of the three teenage girls who, according to U.S. authorities, were en route to join the Islamic State group in Syria when they were stopped at an airport in Germany. The two sisters, ages 17 and 15, and their 16-year-old friend have been reunited with their families in Colorado, according to an FBI spokeswoman. less

This Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014, photo shows the apartment complex in Aurora, Colo., which police say is the home of one of the three teenage girls who, according to U.S. authorities, were en route to join the ... more

Photo: (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

Colorado teens’ travel renews concerns about terror appeal

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DENVER >> School officials say three teenage girls under investigation for possibly trying to join Islamic State forces in Syria were victims of an online predator who encouraged them to travel to Syria.

U.S. officials on Wednesday were still trying to determine how they made it to Europe unnoticed and whether their case is a sign of terrorism’s deepening appeal among youth.

The girls, two sisters ages 17 and 15, and their 16-year-old friend, were detained in Germany and sent back to their homes in the Denver area over the weekend.

Tustin Amole, a spokeswoman for the district where they attend high school, says classmates saw the girls chatting on Twitter about their plans. Administrators are being vigilant for signs of similar intentions among other students.